Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Vegetables

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 03/6/24
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Asian cuisine is known for its stir-fry dishes, and Thai food is no exception. This stir-fried noodle recipe boasts a flavorful stir-fry sauce along with carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, red pepper, and bean sprouts. Feel free to swap out some of the vegetables for favorites, or add a bit of protein such as chicken, tofu, or shrimp (or a combination). The sauce can also be made vegetarian or vegan by substituting some of the ingredients.

Although most Thai noodle dishes are made with rice noodles, there are also various Chinese-inspired Thai noodle dishes made with wheat or egg noodles, as in this recipe. But no matter what type of noodle you use, this stir-fry is sure to satisfy, as stir-fries in Thailand are never bland or lacking in flavor.

Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Vegetables in a bowl

The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger
What You'll Need to Make This Stir-Fried Noodles Recipe
A Great Garlic Press
A Handy Dandy Microplane
A Fantastic Wok

Ingredients

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 5 to 8 ounces Chinese-style wheat noodles, or egg noodles

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 to 3 teaspoons grated galangal, or ginger

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallots, or purple onion

  • 1 medium carrot, sliced into matchsticks

  • 5 to 8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 

  • 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

  • 1 small red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 2 cups bean sprouts

  • Fresh basil or cilantro, for garnish

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste

  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 3 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce, more to taste

  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sugar, more to taste

  • 1/4 tablespoon white pepper

  • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed chile, chile flakes, or fresh minced red chile, more to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Vegetables ingredients

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  2. Boil the noodles in lightly salted water until al dente, leaning toward undercooked (you will be stir-frying them later, so avoid overcooking them now).

    Noodles cooking in a pot on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  3. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.

    Noodles in a white colander

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  4. Meanwhile, place all of the stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a cup or small bowl, and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

    Stir-fry sauce in a small bowl

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  5. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl around, then stir-fry the garlic, galangal or ginger, and shallot for 1 minute.

    Garlic, galangal, and shallot cooking in a wok on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  6. Add the carrots plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of the stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the carrots soften slightly.

    Carrots, garlic, galangal, and shallot cooking in a wok on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  7. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and red pepper, plus 3 to 4 more tablespoons of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying until the mushrooms and red pepper soften and the broccoli turns bright green but is still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

    Carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and red pepper cooking in a wok on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  8. Add the noodles plus the remaining stir-fry sauce. Using 2 utensils, lift and turn the noodles in the pan to combine with the vegetables. Stir-fry in this way for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until you are happy with the softness and texture of the noodles.

    Thai stir-fry noodles cooking in a wok on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  9. During the last 1 minute of cooking time, fold in the bean sprouts.

    Bean sprouts added to the Thai stir-fried noodles in a wok on a burner

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  10. Taste-test the noodles, adding up to 1 more tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce if not salty or flavorful enough. If too salty for your taste or too sweet, add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon more lime juice. If too sour, add a little more sugar. More chile can be added if you prefer it spicier. Serve immediately in bowls or plates, topped with a sprinkling of fresh basil or coriander.

    Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Vegetables in a wok on a burner, with a side of lime wedges

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

Stir-Frying Tips

Stir-frying may be a quick and easy way to get a delicious meal on the table, but if a few things aren't done right, you may end up with an unevenly cooked, burnt, or gloppy mess.

  • Make sure you do not overcook the noodles—noodles past the point of al dente will not stir-fry well and won't look appealing. And if you are using fresh noodles, they need less than a minute to cook.
  • It is important that you have all of your ingredients ready before you begin stir-frying, including the vegetables. Stir-frying is a quick process, so if you are delaying between each step to chop or slice, the dish will not turn out as it should.
  • Also be sure that your wok or pan is very hot, which will require preheating on the stove for several minutes.

Recipe Variations

  • Make this stir-fry dish vegetarian or vegan by simply swapping out a couple of the sauce ingredients that contain seafood. Instead of using the fish sauce, add 1 additional tablespoon soy sauce, and use vegetarian oyster sauce or vegetarian stir-fry sauce in place of the oyster sauce.
  • Add chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu. Marinate in a little soy sauce and wine, pat dry, and cook first, before adding the vegetables. Remove from the wok while you cook the remaining stir-fry ingredients and then add at the end with the bean sprouts.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
270 Calories
12g Fat
37g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 270
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1415mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 85mg 425%
Calcium 65mg 5%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 568mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)